Dire news from the wildlife community: Wildlife experts are reporting that an alarming number of iconic keystone species are headed for extinction. Bears, wolves, and gorillas are just a few on the recently released list. More than 40 experts conferred, and their findings are distressing, to say the least. Without intervention, these already endangered animals could disappear altogether.
A keystone species is one which plays a vital role in supporting a healthy environment. This can be everything from keeping down the overpopulation of other animals to aiding in the pollination of plants. The loss of these animals starts a cascade effect, and has a tremendously adverse affect on the ecosystem. The populations of smaller animals who are normally prey explode, which then contributes to a struggle to find food and water enough to support their numbers. Plant life also suffers, with invasive species moving in to take the place of healthy native plants.
The study, led by Oregon State University professor of ecology William Ripple, shows that as many as 59 percent of the world’s largest carnivores and 60 percent of the largest herbivores are under threat of extinction. He also points out that this decline is happening rapidly. “We could lose these animals just as science is discovering how important they are to the ecosystem,” says Ripple.
Other animals on the list include lions, tigers, elephants, and rhinoceroses. The West African black rhino has already been declared extinct, and only three individuals remain of the northern white rhino population.
The team does have a plan to keep these deadly dominoes from falling. Expanding habitats and revising conservation policies could pull many species back from the brink. Cracking down on illegal and even permitted hunting would help as well. Many previous conservation efforts have proved successful, but action must be taken now before time runs out for these endangered animals.
Featured Image from adamwknox/Unsplash
